Now that we've had a peek at the hardware, what can it do for your average gaming experience? With support for Aureal's latest A3D 2.0 audio standard the Platinum goes a step beyond the 3D positioning thing that we've become accustomed to in the past through A3D 1.0 and adds yet another dimension to it. To further add to the incredible realism we've been blessed with the addition more 3D audio channels. And in addition to the HRTF algorithms, we've got wavetracing for audio reflections caused by the surrounding environment such as sound bouncing of a surrounding structures, echoing in a large outdoor setting, or being obstructed by walls. The results are breath taking, but with the Platinum it doesn't end there, the bundled Force Feedback headphones takes your already incredible audio experience another step towards perfection. Remembering the first time I ran the accompanying A3D 2.0 demo approaching *the beast* with the headphones on I experienced something so close to real fear it was amazing. Closing my eyes I could almost feel the stinking breath of a huge prehistoric beast roaring as it approached about to shred my body into pieces. WOW!

Taking my new found friends (the Platinum and the Headpones) for a spin in Half-Life was of course a must at this point. Half-Life is no doubt the current no.1 reason to own a 3D audio accelerator whether it supports A3D 2.0 or EAX as it's not only visually delicious, a gamers wet-dream gameplay / atmosphere wise but also comes fully loaded with incredible audio. You just have to experience it to believe it, with this setup the audio quality is incredible, trying on the hazard course for the 40th time just to marvel at the incredible audio effects approaching the firing range, here's where the real treat lies. Shooting off round after round with the machinegun you can literary feel the bass travel throughout your body making you feel like you we're actually pulling the trigger in real life. Blowing off a few grenades or rockets produce a similar sensation as well, and everything seems so much more real.